Elyssa
Elyssa is a Rusalka, a watery spirit appearing in Mordavia Lake. Background Elyssa was once a beautiful young woman engaged to Janos, until he drowned her in the lake while they were skinny dipping because she refused to have sex with him. Though her body was never found, a gravestone was carved for her. It read: : "No effort could Elyssa save; She passed into a wat'ry grave. Her body was lost; Only her memory remains." Her spirit was bound to the lake by her violent demise and she became a Rusalka. She had no recollection of her life, and drowned any man who entered the lake. The Hero was able to befriend her, however, by speaking to her without entering the lake, and bringing her flowers and/or sweets. Personality and traits She is beautiful and deadly, appearing as she once was in life. She had been betrayed by a false lover before in her life, and all she really wanted was a man with a true heart to show her some real love and affection. Only then could she truly pass away.QFGTAG, pg Titles and names *Rusalka *Elyssa *Ilyssa Pavlovna Behind the scenes Only male visitors can see her. She appears during the day, and traveling to her screen cancels the action of being pursued by a monster. If the hero attempts to cast a spell or undertake a violent action, she will disappear beneath the water. Elyssa's last name "Pavlovna" is not mentioned in the game, and only appears in a single article printed in Sierra's InterAction magazine. She was called Ilyssa Pavlona there. The Rusalka quest As a Paladin, Piotyr asked the Hero to free her soul. After finding out how from the gypsy Magda, The Hero went about freeing the Rusalka's spirit. First he reminded her of her life by learning her name. Then, he retrieved a lock of her hair. He would braid it into a hand broom, and then sweep her murderer's grave with it at night. Janos would emerge as a Wraith. The Hero defeats him, and returns to Elyssa. When he does so, she appears in her true form: a mostly rotted away skeleton with only her hair remaining as she was in life. Then, he gives her the one thing she always wanted: A kiss from a true Hero. She passes away peacefully. Origin The name "rusalka" (Russian: русалка, meaning "fair-haired girl") is of Slavic origin and was used to describe a spirit of a beautiful girl who would call out to any man from the water, luring him in. But as soon as he would step into the water, she would hug him and drown him to his doom. Today it is connoting with the term "mermaid", however originally rusalkas had feet and could come out of the water in full moon, to dance naked in the field around a fire (which was considered to be a good omen for the harvest), and would only drown those men who have mistreated their company in the past. References Category:Characters (QFG4) Category:Undead